


N 



E 628 
.ri63 
Copy 1 



A National ilomtm^ttt 

in tbr Qltty nf Uaslnugtnn 

TO THE MEMORY OF 

THE LOYAL WOMEN OF THE CIVIL WAR 




TROWBRIDGE Jt LIVINGSTON, ARCHITECTS 
NEW YORK 



(Emnmanl^trg nf IItp ^Utt of Npw fork 

military (§rhtt of % Ungal ICrgion 

nf t\}B MnxUh ^tatFB 

COALMITTEE OX WAYS AXD MEAXS 



,/ 



Office of Chairman 

Captain Jamks A. Sckvmsek 

66 Broadway, Xew York 

Telephone. 61!) Rector 



66 BROADWAY 
NEW YORK. 



To the Members of the 

Commandery of the State of New York, 

Mihtary Order of the Loyal Legion of the 

United States. 

Dear Sirs and Companions, 

Knowing that the present status for a National 
Monument to the Loyal Wpmen of the Civil War 
will be of interest to you, I am pleased to report 
that a Bill, appropriating the sum of $400,000 for 
a site for phe proposed Memorial Building, unani- 
mously passed the United States Senate on August 
1 2th, 19 1 2. Further, that the Committee on Pub- 
lic Buildings and Grounds has unanimously and 
favorably reported a like Bill in the House of 
Representati\'es and that the same is, in conse- 
quence, now on the Calendar for the considera- 
tion of the House in December next. A careful 
canvass of the House forecasts favorable action 
at that time. 

The appropriation of $400,000 is to provide 
for the purchase of a site and anv surplus will 



be used toward the completion and furnishing of 
the building. The Bill provides that condemna- 
tion proceedings may be undertaken if it is found 
impossible to get the land desired at a reasonable 
price. 

The appropriation of Congress is wholly de- 
pendent upon the raising of a sum of $300,000 by 
the Commandery of the State of New York for 
the building. Of this amount over $150,000 has 
been subscribed and promised by the members and 
friends of the Commandery and you are earnestly 
urgd to do all in your power toward the raising 
of the additional $150,000 and at the earliest pos- 
sible moment, that the work of constructing the 
building may not be delayed when the necessary 
appropriation for the site has finally passed the 
House and been signed by the President. 

As indicated in the letter of President Taft 
herewith, arrangements have been concluded be- 
tween the Commandery of the State of New York 
and the American National Red Cross Society, 
whereby the National Monument to the Memory 
of the Loyal Women of the Civil War (a pro- 
ject initiated by our Commandery) is to take the 
form of a Memorial Building in the City of Wash- 
ington, which will become in perpetuity a head- 
quarters for the American National Red Cross 
Society. 

You will see by the design on the cover of this 
pamphlet that an imposing building is proposed. 



OCT 3 111* 



The floor plans provide storerooms and janitors' 
quarters on the first floor, rooms for oflicials on 
the second floor, directors rooms on the third 
floor and a Loyal Legion Museum and a Red 
Cross Museum, as well as an assembly room, two 
stories in height. 

The exterior of the building would be of com- 
posite type, a series of columns and pilasters 
forming the portico and entire front of the struc- 
ture. 

The original appropriation for the site was 
fixed at $300,000, but the Library Committees of 
the Senate and the House voluntarily Increased 
this sum to $400,000, It being found desirable to 
surround the building by a large open space, on 
which temporary structures might be erected when 
necessary. 

These Committees were so much interested in 
learning of the great work of the American Red 
Cross Society, at home and abroad, and, also of 
the proposed Memorial Building project, that 
they ordered ten thousand copies of the Hearing 
to be printed for public distribution through 
members of the Onited States Congress. 

May we not have your prompt and enthusiastic 
co-operation in this work? As the Hon. James 
M. Beck so approprlatelv said, at the Loyal Le- 
gion Banquet, October 4th, 191 1 : 



"This project is one of singular nobility 
"and beauty. In many ways it is unique. 
"Notwithstanding the rhapsodies of poets and 
"artists with respect to women, it remains a 
"fact that few memorials erected to perpetu- 
"ate the memory of great achievements and 
"personalities, record the heroism, self-sacri- 
"fice, and patriotism of women. 

"The achievements and heroism of men in 
"war have been the inspiring theme of count- 
"less memorials, but few can be recalled that 
"similarly record the self-sacrifice of women 
"in times of conflict. And yet woman has 
"been, from the very dawn of history, the 
"chief victim of war, the solace of disaster, 
"the gentle consoler of affliction, the mother 
"of heroes, the inspirer of victories." 

The personal and hearty co-operation of every 
member of the New York Commandery is needed. 
Annexed you will find copy of a letter to the 
late Commander-in-Chief, Admiral George W. 
Melville, which will explain itself. 

Fraternally yours, 

James A. Scrymser. 

Chairman. 

Contributions may be forwarded to the 
Secretary and Treasurer 

John L. Merrill 
Room 1900, 66 Broadway, New York City 
By check or postal money order 

4 



(copy of letter from president taft, the 
president of the red cross) 



THE WHITE HOUSE 

WASHINGTON 

Dear Cciptani Scrymser: 

I most heartily approve of the project of the 
Commandery of the State of New York of the 
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United 
States to build in the City of Washington a Na- 
tional Monument to the Memory of the Loyal 
Women of the Civil War, which shall become 
in perpetuity the headquarters of the American 
National Red Cross. 

Memorials to the men of the Civil War are 
prominent throughout the country, and shall our 
people be less grateful to the women who labored 
at home, on the battle-field, and in the hospitals 
with a patriotic devotion unexcelled, and who, in 
giving those they loved, made even a greater 
sacrifice? 

What better monument could we build to those 
noble women than a building at the National Capi- 
tal to perpetuate their heroic effort to relieve the 
human suffering which ine\'itablv follo\A"S war or 
any great calamity, and which found its first ex- 
pression in the great Sanitarv Commission of our 
Civil War? I'or it was on women's initiati\'e 



that this Sanitary Commission was inaugurated, 
and its success was largely due to their tireless 
efforts. The splendid work of this American or- 
ganization was recognized by the Convention of 
Geneva in 1864, when the International Red Cross 
Treaty was enacted. 

Upon the American Red Cross has fallen the 
mantle of the Sanitary Commission. The loyal 
and patriotic spirit of the women to whom this 
memorial is built will be forever perpetuated in 
the humane work of the Red Cross, to which they 
gave the initial impulse. 

As President Lincoln so truly said, "If all that 
has been said by orators and poets since the crea- 
tion of the world in praise of women were applied 
to the women of America, it would not do them 
justice for their conduct during the war.'' 

I wish the project the success it deserves. 
Very truly yours, 

W.M. H. Taft. 



Captain James A. Scrymser, Chairman, 
66 Broadway, 

New York City. 



Altptttton!! 

VETERAN SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OF 
THE CIVIL WAR 

WE ASK FOR FUNDS TO BUILD 

A Nattnnal Mnnum^nt in tlt^ 
City nf Jiaaittugtnu 

TO THE MEMORY OF 

THE LOYAL WbMEN OF THE 
CIVIL WAR 

WHO SERVED IN THEIR HOMES, ON THE 
BATTLE-FIELDS, AND IN THE HOSPITALS 

Comrades : 

These women were yours — your mothers, your 
sisters, and your wives. You know that they were 
your co-equals m labor and more than your equals 
in bitterness of sorrow; for in your absejice at 
the front they bore your burdens on their shoulders 
and your sufferings in their hearts. Will you quit 
the battle-Held of life and leave no enduring ex- 



pression of your appreciation? Here is vour holy 
privilege, not to be relegated to others. Give, 
therefore, as you are able; give even from your 
poverty. Give now, for the last roll-call is near. 
Forgetfulness is injustice. Remembrance is a 
sacred duty. 

Fraternally yours, 

COiFMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. 

GENEllAL STEWART L. WOODFORD 
GENERAL THOMAS H. HUBBARD 
GENERAL J. FRED PIERSON 
:\rAJOR J. LANGDON WARD 
CAPT. JAMES A. SCRYMSER 
LIEUT. LOYALL FARRAGUT 
LIEUT. THOM.VS STI'RGIS 



Contributions may be forwarded to rhe 
Secretary and Treasurer 

John L. Merrill 
Room 1900, 66 Broadway, New York Cily 
By check or postal money order. 



66 BROADWAY 
NEW YORK. 



February 8th, 19 12. 



Rear Adtiiiral George W. Melville, 
Commander-in-Chief, 

Military Order of the Loyal Legion 
of the United States 

532 Walnut Street, 

Philadelphia, Pa. 

Project for A National Monument to the 
Women of the Civil War. 

Dear Sir and Companion, 

With reference to my letter of January 2^th, 
last, and to your acknowlecigement of the same, 
dated January 29th, informing me that you would 
take the matter up with the Recorder-in-Chief at 
your earliest con\'enience, I regret to say that up 
to this writing I have received nothing further 
from either yourself or the Recorder-in-Chief. 

Your General Order of January ist, reacis 

"II. Heartily approving every effort to 
commemorate the patriotic self sacrifice and 
endurance of the loyal women whose devotion 



encouraged and sustained the men who, in 
the Army and Navy, served the cause, the 
Commander-in-Chief commends to the Order 
the purpose set forth above, and asks the 
several Commanderies to do all within their 
power to promote the success of the plan ori- 
ginated by the Commandery of the State of 
New York." 

and omits any reference to the request in the 
original Resolution, ratified by the Commandery- 
in-Chief, as to the collecting of funds and forward- 
ing the same to Recorder Blakeman, the Secretary 
and Treasurer, New York City. 

The fact of this omission, together with the 
letter of the Recorder-in-Chief, Col. John P. 
Nicholson, to Recorder Blakeman, dated January 
9th, 191 2, and its enclosed correspondence, leacis 
me to understand that the Commander-in-Chief 
hnds embarrassment in assuming the responsibil- 
ity, as Commander-in-Chief, of endorsing the 
project to the extent of soliciting subscriptions for 
the same. 

For the purpose, therefore, of relieving the 
Commander-in-Chief of embarrassment in the 
premises, the Committee on Ways and Means of 
the Commandery of the State of New York with- 
draws its request for the official co-operation of 
the Commandery-in-Chief, and will itself under- 
take the task of carrying the projected memorial 

10 



to completion in its own way and with such wel- 
come aid as those in sympathy with its efiorts may 
voluntarily render. 

With great respect, I am, 

Fraternally yours, 

(Signed) James A. Scrymser, Chmrnuju, 

COMMITTKE ON WaYS ANU MeANS 



\ 



^ 



OCT 2 - 1912 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



1 11 mil in iin mil III 

013 744 357 



